The legendary Streif in Kitzbühel : Skiing in Tyrol click The Streif is the most spectacular downhill ski race track in the world. It brings the best skiers from every corner of the world together in an almost gladiator style fight for the honour of victory on the Streif. During the winter, before and after the race, the Streif is a public ski area and one can tackle the racecourse or the easier Family Streif, which offers two alternative gradients. In downhill ski racing, the Streif, is regarded as the ultimate challenge because of the diversity of its terrain. All the elements of a classic downhill course can be found on the Streif, high speed breathtaking jumps, steep slopes, flat out gliding sections, curves, compressions, spectacular bumps and even a short uphill section just before the Seidlalm jump. The Streif has it all. Possible for every good skier The Streif can be tackled in winter by most intermediate skiers. The start house is opposite the summit station of the Hahnenkamm cable car. The famous sections such as the Mausefalle, Steilhang and Hausbergkante, are marked as “extreme ski routes” and are often in very icy condition.

These sections are for expert skiers only. Family Streif The Family Streif is a special highlight for skiers and snowboarders . The extreme sections of the racecourse can be missed out giving the opportunity to negotiate the other sections of the racecourse on the descent back to the town, by following the “Red 21” on the Kitzbuehel ski map. No longer a completely closed piste! In the summer of 2010, alterations were made to the Streif, including the introduction of a section from the exit of the Steilhang to the ridge before the Seidlalm that runs parallel to the racecourse but higher up the mountain. This has made it possible to ski next to the Streif during the preparation work in January and during the race weekend. Other key areas are still closed from around January 6th onwards for necessary race preparation but disruption is kept to a minimum. Weeks of work are required to prepare the course for the race. Snow must be transported to the right places and the terrain has to be corrected if necessary with additional snow.

The entire track is then prepared, frozen and solidified, with safety and security fencing, provisions for television coverage, a public address system and other related work to allow the race to take place. Streif – The nickname The world famous Downhill cours e is named after the Streifalm , the meadow on the upper part of the course. In turn, the pasture was probably named after a farmer named Brixner “Straiff”. The Mausefalle jump was baptised by Toni Sailer Senior, father of the skiing superstar, because the section in question reminded him of an old wire mousetrap. Just like a mouse within the wire case, the downhill racers make their way down this steep slope following the jump. The Mausefalle has been in use since the early 1950’s. Technical Details of the Streif Start elevation Kitzbühel Destination Overview | OnTheSnow Transportation + Big names, ski pioneers and the high society – but also Tyrolean down-to-earthness, Gemütlichkeit and hospitality: these contrasts are what make Kitzbühel one of the greatest ski resorts in the Alps.

Kitzbühel is even recognised as the “Best Ski Resort in the World” for 2013. With 51 cable cars and lifts, connecting 170 kilometres of ski slopes, Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel is one of the largest cable car companies in Austria. In addition to the spectacular “Streif”, Kitzbühel trumps with a variety of ski runs suiting all sizes and ski styles. In fact, the vast and snow-reliable ski resort boasts an above-average number of family runs (69 km easy, 77 km intermediate, 24 km difficult). The “flagship” run is, of course, the Family Streif, which elegantly snakes its way around the extremely steep part of the downhill course, before returning to the original racing track at the Seidlalm, dodging the “Hausbergkante” ridge on the incline Ganslernhang and ends up back at the usual finish. Don’t miss out on the most spectacular lift in the world: the 3S-Umlaufbahn (tri-cable gondola).

It spans the 2.5-kilometre wide and 400-meter deep Saukaser Valley between the mountains Pengelstein and the Wurzhöhe. Snowboarders and freeskiers will also find their perfect playground on the Resterhöhe. The experienced QParks team lead by Franz Lechner is responsible for the setup of the Hanglalm Park as well as for the park on the Kitzbüheler Horn, including all kicker, rail, jib and tree lines, picnic tables and chill-out areas. Skiers and boarders keen to head off-piste will love Kitzbühel’s 200 km2 backcountry. Around the 32 kilometres of ski routes there are endless opportunities to ride through perfect deep powder snow. After dark, the 700-year-old “Old Town” with its typical après ski bars and pubs becomes the social hub of the world. Fashionistas will be in their element hopping between international designer addresses, from Bogner and Boss, Gucci, D&G and Moncler, to Prada and Louis Vuitton.

And between them, classic Kitzbühel “fashion originals”, such as Sportalm, Frauenschuh, Franz Prader and Helmut Eder, add a traditional element to the vibrant collection. The “town of the chamois”, as Kitzbühel is affectionately known, is easily accessible by road and by rail. From the airport cities Munich, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, it takes a maximum of one and a half hours by car to get to Kitzbühel. + The mountain Kitzbühel’s ski area has grown over the years into one of the world’s leading ski regions. There are two sectors immediately accessible from the town itself, with gondolas ascending from opposite sides of the resort to the stand-alone ‘natural snow paradise’ of the Kitzbüheler Horn on one side and the famous Hahnenkamm on the other – from which it is possible to ski onto neighbouring ski areas above Jochberg and Pass Thurn.

You can quickly expand the ski area available to you by purchasing the Kitzbüheler Alpen AllStarCard pass and taking a short ride on the ski bus to neighbouring areas such as the Skiwelt (280km more piste) or the Schneewinkel at neighbouring St Johann (170km more piste), each just 10 minutes away, and all included on the pass which incorporates other areas too – more than 1,100km of piste served by 360 lifts altogether in fact. Back on Kitzbühel’s local slopes, you’ll find 170km/60 pistes which are largely easy blues or intermediate reds, although there are more than a dozen blacks and 32km of marked off-piste routes so plenty to challenge experts too. Much of the terrain is below the treeline, but the 750 snow guns ensure snow isn’t a problem. Off-piste Kitzbühel is not known as one of the world’s leading powder destinations, but there are a myriad of off-piste opportunities if you know where to look.

The off-piste above Pass Thurn is often the best in the area as it’s the highest sector which typically, if not always, means the best snow. The Steinbergkogel area is recognised as freeride terrain down to the Ehrenbachgraben and routes 90 and 33 from there are possible, although you need to take a bus or taxi from the bottom of 33 or it’s a long hike back. On the Hahnenkamm area there can be good tree skiing and often unpisted slopes near the Eggl lift. There’s also a growing freeriding scene at the Bichlalm sector, once something of a Kitzbühel backwater, now offers some excellent powder field skiing served by a snowcat. Ski slopes Although Kitzbühel does have plenty of off-piste challenges, the vast majority of skiers here are not looking for that, but rather the groomed cruising terrain which the ski area offers in abundance.

Indeed if you add Kitzbühel’s ski area to the SkiWelt, you get 450km of piste – 85 percent of which is made up of blues and reds that just go on and on, the longest of them a 7km descent. Buy the regional Kitzbuhel All Star pass and that volume of pistes doubles again with more similar neighbouring regions added. This excess of easy and intermediate graded runs, supported by state-of-the-art high-speed, high-capacity chairs and gondolas, and you get wonderful family-friendly skiing. Half a dozen different itinerary routes are offered by the tourist office to help you make the most of it all. Bigger still, but suitable for most recreational skiers, the Ski Safari route which takes you on a 50km circuit (35km on pistes, 15km on lifts) around a huge ski area covering Kitzbühel/Kirchberg to Pass Thurn is a ‘must ski.’ Since the completion of the 3S gondola, no ski buses are required to make the full safari route. The route is suited to intermediate level skiers and above.

But it’s not all easy and intermediate stuff on the pistes. There are 28km of groomed black runs including the infamous Streif (see Inside Scoop) of course, one of the world’s most famous runs, and its neighbour, used for classic World Cup slalom racing, the Ganslern slope. Children are not forgotten either, the wonderful Mini-Streif course at the base of the Hahnenkamm is a brilliantly designed combination fun ski run and obstacle course for the budding young downhill racer. It’s not to be missed. Park/Pipe: As with many leading resorts, Kitzbuhel has revised its snowpark over the years and has constantly invested in ever better facilities. The original park on the Kitzbuhelhorn remains but its focus is now on providing a smaller provision for beginner and early intermediate level freestyle skiers and boarders. The resort’s main facility is now at the Hanglalm in Jochberg where the state of the art Snowpark Kitzbuhel contains lines for all ability levels right up to pro. Signature features include the giant Gap jump, not for the faint hearted.

Along with lines of rails, boxes and kickers, there’s a popular ‘treeline’ using elements made of wood. An all-new sector was added to the park in 2011-12 adding beginner-to-intermediate level elements to broaden the park’s appeal. An active shape team work to keep the elements in top notch condition, under the guidance of park designer Franz Lechner. skiing in Kitzbühel / Kirchberg ski area - renowned ski resort in Tyrol : Austria Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel A warm welcome to the Ski-Paradise! Nestled in the peaks of the Kitzbüheler Alpen, you will find the world renowned Kitzbühel/Kirchberg ski area. 179 kilometres of perefctly prepared pistes,13 marked ski routes of all levels of difficulty, action packed Snowboard-Funparks, numerous lovely deep snow descents and a sustainable-optimized snow making facilities for 119 kilometres of slopes guarantees unlimited skiing pleasure. 54 modern lifts and cable cars from the Bergbahn AG bring you swiftly and in comfort to the top of the slopes.

Unique in the whole of Austria, the training lifts in the valley are free of charge. In summer, the Kitz hiking mountains call out! With the summer lifts of the Bergbahn Kitzbühel you can swing up into the mountains of the Kitzbüheler Alpen to a height of some 2000 m. When you reach the top, a summer of mountain experiences opens up before you. Total pleasure at the physical and natural beauty over hundreds of kilometres of walking trails. Breathtaking views of the imposing Wilden Kaiser massif, the beauty of the Leoganger Steinberge and the incomparable giants in the Hohen Tauern. Or a fun filled family day out: Kitz hiking mountains promise a summer holiday full of fun and adventures Kitzbühel Ski Resort - Kitzbühel Snow Report & Ski Lift Passes Transportation + Big names, ski pioneers and the high society – but also Tyrolean down-to-earthness, Gemütlichkeit and hospitality: these contrasts are what make Kitzbühel one of the greatest ski resorts in the Alps. Kitzbühel is even recognised as the “Best Ski Resort in the World” for 2013.

With 51 cable cars and lifts, connecting 170 kilometres of ski slopes, Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel is one of the largest cable car companies in Austria. In addition to the spectacular “Streif”, Kitzbühel trumps with a variety of ski runs suiting all sizes and ski styles. In fact, the vast and snow-reliable ski resort boasts an above-average number of family runs (69 km easy, 77 km intermediate, 24 km difficult). The “flagship” run is, of course, the Family Streif, which elegantly snakes its way around the extremely steep part of the downhill course, before returning to the original racing track at the Seidlalm, dodging the “Hausbergkante” ridge on the incline Ganslernhang and ends up back at the usual finish. Don’t miss out on the most spectacular lift in the world: the 3S-Umlaufbahn (tri-cable gondola). It spans the 2.5-kilometre wide and 400-meter deep Saukaser Valley between the mountains Pengelstein and the Wurzhöhe.

Snowboarders and freeskiers will also find their perfect playground on the Resterhöhe. The experienced QParks team lead by Franz Lechner is responsible for the setup of the Hanglalm Park as well as for the park on the Kitzbüheler Horn, including all kicker, rail, jib and tree lines, picnic tables and chill-out areas. Skiers and boarders keen to head off-piste will love Kitzbühel’s 200 km2 backcountry. Around the 32 kilometres of ski routes there are endless opportunities to ride through perfect deep powder snow. After dark, the 700-year-old “Old Town” with its typical après ski bars and pubs becomes the social hub of the world. Fashionistas will be in their element hopping between international designer addresses, from Bogner and Boss, Gucci, D&G and Moncler, to Prada and Louis Vuitton. And between them, classic Kitzbühel “fashion originals”, such as Sportalm, Frauenschuh, Franz Prader and Helmut Eder, add a traditional element to the vibrant collection.

The “town of the chamois”, as Kitzbühel is affectionately known, is easily accessible by road and by rail. From the airport cities Munich, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, it takes a maximum of one and a half hours by car to get to Kitzbühel. + The mountain Kitzbühel’s ski area has grown over the years into one of the world’s leading ski regions. There are two sectors immediately accessible from the town itself, with gondolas ascending from opposite sides of the resort to the stand-alone ‘natural snow paradise’ of the Kitzbüheler Horn on one side and the famous Hahnenkamm on the other – from which it is possible to ski onto neighbouring ski areas above Jochberg and Pass Thurn.

You can quickly expand the ski area available to you by purchasing the Kitzbüheler Alpen AllStarCard pass and taking a short ride on the ski bus to neighbouring areas such as the Skiwelt (280km more piste) or the Schneewinkel at neighbouring St Johann (170km more piste), each just 10 minutes away, and all included on the pass which incorporates other areas too – more than 1,100km of piste served by 360 lifts altogether in fact. Back on Kitzbühel’s local slopes, you’ll find 170km/60 pistes which are largely easy blues or intermediate reds, although there are more than a dozen blacks and 32km of marked off-piste routes so plenty to challenge experts too. Much of the terrain is below the treeline, but the 750 snow guns ensure snow isn’t a problem. Off-piste Kitzbühel is not known as one of the world’s leading powder destinations, but there are a myriad of off-piste opportunities if you know where to look.

The off-piste above Pass Thurn is often the best in the area as it’s the highest sector which typically, if not always, means the best snow. The Steinbergkogel area is recognised as freeride terrain down to the Ehrenbachgraben and routes 90 and 33 from there are possible, although you need to take a bus or taxi from the bottom of 33 or it’s a long hike back. On the Hahnenkamm area there can be good tree skiing and often unpisted slopes near the Eggl lift. There’s also a growing freeriding scene at the Bichlalm sector, once something of a Kitzbühel backwater, now offers some excellent powder field skiing served by a snowcat. Ski slopes Although Kitzbühel does have plenty of off-piste challenges, the vast majority of skiers here are not looking for that, but rather the groomed cruising terrain which the ski area offers in abundance.

Indeed if you add Kitzbühel’s ski area to the SkiWelt, you get 450km of piste – 85 percent of which is made up of blues and reds that just go on and on, the longest of them a 7km descent. Buy the regional Kitzbuhel All Star pass and that volume of pistes doubles again with more similar neighbouring regions added. This excess of easy and intermediate graded runs, supported by state-of-the-art high-speed, high-capacity chairs and gondolas, and you get wonderful family-friendly skiing. Half a dozen different itinerary routes are offered by the tourist office to help you make the most of it all. Bigger still, but suitable for most recreational skiers, the Ski Safari route which takes you on a 50km circuit (35km on pistes, 15km on lifts) around a huge ski area covering Kitzbühel/Kirchberg to Pass Thurn is a ‘must ski.’ Since the completion of the 3S gondola, no ski buses are required to make the full safari route. The route is suited to intermediate level skiers and above.

But it’s not all easy and intermediate stuff on the pistes. There are 28km of groomed black runs including the infamous Streif (see Inside Scoop) of course, one of the world’s most famous runs, and its neighbour, used for classic World Cup slalom racing, the Ganslern slope. Children are not forgotten either, the wonderful Mini-Streif course at the base of the Hahnenkamm is a brilliantly designed combination fun ski run and obstacle course for the budding young downhill racer. It’s not to be missed. Park/Pipe: As with many leading resorts, Kitzbuhel has revised its snowpark over the years and has constantly invested in ever better facilities. The original park on the Kitzbuhelhorn remains but its focus is now on providing a smaller provision for beginner and early intermediate level freestyle skiers and boarders. The resort’s main facility is now at the Hanglalm in Jochberg where the state of the art Snowpark Kitzbuhel contains lines for all ability levels right up to pro. Signature features include the giant Gap jump, not for the faint hearted.

Along with lines of rails, boxes and kickers, there’s a popular ‘treeline’ using elements made of wood. An all-new sector was added to the park in 2011-12 adding beginner-to-intermediate level elements to broaden the park’s appeal. An active shape team work to keep the elements in top notch condition, under the guidance of park designer Franz Lechner. The world's 10 best ski runs | Travel | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close Eavesdrop in any bar in any resort and the chances are you'll overhear people debating the greatest question on skis: Where is the best run in the world? This discussion, as they say, will run and run. We're not attempting to resolve the question once and for all - but here are 10 of our favourites, guaranteed to blow your mind. The first five are scenic spectaculars, which will give a confident intermediate a thrill of achievement; the other five are challenges that will give any advanced skier an unforgettable blast of high-altitude adrenaline... Intermediate Davos , Switzerland The birthplace of Alpine skiing still boasts one of the greatest cruises on snow anywhere.

You reach it via the first true skiers' funicular railway - built in 1931, half a century after the first pair of skis to touch Alpine snow were brought here from Norway by a former TB patient. The Parsenn railway - much faster after a rebuild this summer - takes skiers up to the 2,662-metre Weissfluhjoch. Here skiers embark on what feels like an epic journey across the massif, from high above the tree line, into the forest and past some welcoming huts (more like chalet-bars) down to the valley floor for the train ride home. Longest run is an eight-mile cruise to Küblis; another version curls around to royal Klosters. 2 Sella Ronda Dolomites , Italy This is not so much a run as a long-distance circuit - a world classic, set in the Dolomites, home to the most breathtaking scenery in the Alps. Limestone cliffs turn pink in the afternoon sunrise above gentle pastures that make for ideal intermediate cruising.

Looping around a mighty limestone crag, the Sella Ronda is a chain of about 14 miles of runs linked by nine miles of lifts, passing cheerful mountain huts and several villages along the way (Selva is the most popular base for skiers). It's easily done in a day. Clockwise involves less poling, but it's worth doing in both directions - and starting early enough to have time for detours. 3 Sarenne Alpe d'Huez , France This claims to be the longest black run in the Alps, a 10-mile blast promising about an hour and a half of continuous skiing down a near vertical drop of 2,000 metres. Starting point is the 3,330-metre Pic Blanc, with vast views of dozens of untouched peaks in the Parc National des Ecrins. Most of the distance is down to the long run-out along the bottom of the Sarenne gorge - rather too flat for snowboarders. The hairy part is the steep launch - though less than fearless intermediates can bypass the steep mogul field at the top.

4 South Face Lake Louise , Canada In a continent where most ski mountains look like pumped-up hills, Lake Louise has the most spectacular views. You appreciate its frozen namesake best - surrounded by pines, overlooked by high cliffs and the Victoria glacier - from the grand Chateau Lake Louise hotel dating from 1890. You get a long view from the ski area across the valley from any of the runs on the South Face. Perhaps the best intermediate run is from the Top of the World Express quad chair down Sunset Terrace, joining into a thrilling high-speed cruise down the black-diamond Men's Downhill - a fast, tough intermediate run when it's groomed. Juniper is a gentler alternative. 5 Vallée Blanche Chamonix , France The most scenic run in the Alps is a descent lasting up to 15 miles along a sequence of glaciers just below Mont Blanc. The hardest part is the walk down from the Aiguille du Midi - at 3,840 metres, the highest cable car in Europe - to the start of the run: hang onto the fixed rope, and try not to think about the 2,000-metre plunge into the valley.

The run itself is a gentle cruise, easy enough for any confident intermediates who can handle patches of ungroomed snow - though you need a guide, not least for the tricky narrow squeezes between crevasses. Stop frequently to gawp at the breathtaking landscapes of 4,000-metre peaks, vast snowfields and séracs (tumbling cliffs of ice). Advanced St Anton , Austria The birthplace of modern ski technique remains a magnet for advanced skiers largely because of the vast powder-filled bowls that spread out below the 2,811-metre Valluga. Few skiers, however, set off from the summit itself. So dangerous is the descent that unless you are with a qualified guide you aren't allowed to bring your skis into the top cable car - a curious vehicle like a six-person standing coffin. Only the very beginning is terrifying - fall and you'll probably shoot over the cliff to instant death. Thereafter it's a thrilling cruise through rolling fields of powder down to Zürs - and some great mountain restaurants.

7 Corbet's Couloir Jackson Hole , USA You get a glimpse of the thrills in store on North America's most notorious run as you peer down into Corbet's Couloir from the cable car gliding overhead. It starts with a leap from a cornice and a free-fall of about 12 feet. The landing is steeper than 50 per cent, so unless you start turning very quickly you'll crash into the cliff-like walls of the couloir. This isn't even the hardest run on the mountain, which claims the most extreme lift-served skiing in the continent; it's just the toughest one with a name. Successful challengers lose no time in telling of their exploits in the lively saloons of the old cowboy town of Jackson, down in the valley. 8 Hahnenkamm Kitzbühel , Austria The most famous event in the World Cup calendar - and arguably the toughest - is the Hahnenkamm , to be held this winter on 24-26 January.

Highlights of the course include an 85 per cent gradient at the top of Mausfalle (the mouse trap); racers regularly leap up to 80 metres through the air, at speeds of up to 90mph. Once the event is over, the course is often open to the public, conditions permitting. It isn't maintained as a racing course, so you can either slalom down gently or scare yourself silly contemplating what the racers do: no gates, no turns, straight down the mountain... 9 Pas de Chèvre Argentière , France You certainly need a goat-like head for heights on this one. But even intermediates skiing the towering Grands Montets area in the Mont Blanc valley will wander over from the top of the Bochard gondola for a glimpse through this cleft in the crag at the giddying plunge down to the crevasses in the Mer de Glace thousands of metres below. Plenty of powder hounds (with guide, of course) launch themselves into the steep couloirs for a thrilling descent down to the glacier. Argentière, at the foot of the mountain, is home to many of Europe's top extreme skiers.

10 Flying Kilometre Les Arcs , France This may look like assisted suicide but the organisers claim it's safe: and for €12.50 (about £8) you are guaranteed an adrenaline rush that will leave you wobbly for the rest of the day. Speed skiing makes a World Cup downhill race look like a bumbling meander down the mountain, and Les Arcs hosts the world championships on a permanent, immaculately groomed course that begins with a 76 per cent gradient near free fall on the face of the Aiguille Rouge. The current record, set by Philippe Goitschel, is 250.70kph (160mph) - more than twice Britain's motorway speed limit. Price includes equipment hire and survivor's medal. Factfile Inghams (020 8780 4433) offers holidays to all of the featured ski areas. Check snow conditions on the website of the Ski Club of Great Britain (0845 458 0784). Packages from various operators are available from independent consultants such as Ski Solutions (020 7471 7700).

Kitzbühel Ski Area | 170 kilometres of groomed pistes Kitzbuehel Winterspot Best ski resort in the world 179 km of perfectly groomed slopes with varying degrees of difficulty, 36 km of ski trails, plus 56 romantic ski huts and lodges: this is the Kitzbuehel ski area. There are 54 cable cars and ski lifts, operated by the Kitzbuehel Lift Company, the Bergbahn AG Kitzbuehel, which is the largest cable car company in Austria. 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Kitzbuehel was voted “best ski resort in the world”, by Skiresort.de, the world's largest test portal for ski resorts. The ski area has been extensively tested across 18 categories. Freeride Eldorado In Kitzbuehel, Freeriders will find an almost endless ski area. The easily accessible backcountry extends over the provinces of Tyrol and Salzburg and for decades has been a tip for deep snow and has many firm friends. Please respect the forest and wildlife sanctuaries!

Freeriding in Kitzbuehel World famous „Streif“ The Streif is the most famous ski-run in the world. The Hahnenkamm downhill is the slope that every skier wants to tackle. Find all details here 180 days snow safety In Kitzbuehel an average of 180 days of skiing is possible each season (please see graphic below). The Gamsstadt underlines its reputation as a snow sure winter fortress. In recent years, Kitzbuehel has been the first non glacial ski area in Austria to open for the winter season. In winter 2012/13 the number of possible ski days was 182, and that extended from November 1st, 2012 to May 1st, 2013, this was a new record in the 87 year history of the Kitzbuehel Lift Company, the Bergbahn AG Kitzbuehel. Did you know that the winter temperatures on the Hahnenkamm have not become warmer for more than 45 years? This is confirmed by the official weather data from the Republic of Austria (ZAMG).

You can find more information here: Stars from the Austrian Ski team train in Kitzbuehel! The stars from the Austrian ski team are repeatedly drawn to Kitzbuehel in order to hone their skills in training camps held on its slopes. Particularly popular at the beginning of the season is the snow sure Resterkogel in Pass Thurn. This is where the Austrians always go in October, setting up the gates for slalom training. The Ganslernhang, in Kitzbuehel, is used repeatedly by various national teams for training throughout the season. Fascinating Kitzbuehel ski history No other ski resort in the Alps can boast such a long and successful skiing tradition. Ski pioneer Franz Reisch, Ski superstar Toni Sailer and the legendary Karl Koller have shaped the development of skiing in Kitzbuehel since 1892. You can read more about this in our chapter, “ Kitzbuehel skiing history ." Free practice lifts in the valley Did you know that in Kitzbuehel the use of all the practice lifts in the valley is free? This is a wonderful opportunity for families, beginners and those who have not skied for a while.

The following practice lifts looking forward to serving you: Rasmusleiten (Kitzbuehel) Skiing in the Tirol | Ultimate-Ski.com Tirol Skiing in The Tirol The Tirol is Austria's best known ski region and home to some of Austria’s most high-profile ski resorts, including St Anton-am-Arlberg, often described as the ski capital of Austria, and Kitzbühel, famous for its legendary World Cup Hahnenkamm downhill. The Tirol (sometimes spelled Tyrol) is home to many of the best ski resorts in Austria and has always been regarded as safe, friendly and fun with its celebrated gemütlichkeit (or welcome), lively après ski and plenty of good quality accommodation. It's an ideal destination for skiers and boarders of all ability levels and traditionally, many British and other nationals learn to ski in the Tirol - particularly in Alpbach , Mayrhofen , Obergurgl , Soll and Wildschönau, Alpbach / Ski Juwel Alpbach has won prizes as the one of the prettiest villages in Austria.

The quintessentially traditional Austrian village, complete with onion-domed church, narrow streets and little traffic, is a delightful ski holiday destination. The skiing in Alpbach may be on the mellow side, but for those searching for excitement, there are serious challenges too. Alpbach's slopes are under-rated, both in variety and genuine steepness. For many years the British Army held their ski championships here. With the exception of a nursery slope in the middle of the village, the main ski area is a 5-minute free bus ride away and reached by a two-stage gondola to the Hornsboden at 1850m. From there a network of lifts rise to 2025m on Wiedersbergerhorn, which is now connected by a new gondola to the Schatzberg above Auffach in Wildschonau, increasing the size of the lift-connected ski area at Albach from 44km to 85km.

Part of the new Alpbachtal - Wildschonau "Ski Juwel" region with 130km of ski slopes covered by a single lift pass, Alpbach is approximately 60km east of Innsbruck and has plenty of novice terrain. While the ski area is best for beginners and intermediates, experts will find plenty of easily accessible off-piste. Alpbach is 62km east and south from Innsbruck airport. Alpbach ski resort report > Ischgl / Paznauntal Ischgl is the party capital of Austria. There are party towns and there's Ischgl, undoubtedly the most lively ski resort in the Tirol. Burning the candle at both ends is almost unavoidable, and for the German tourists who dominate the resort, de rigueur. Ischgl celebrates the beginning and end of each ski season with huge concerts featuring internationally renowned singers and bands. Yet the skiing's challenging and extensive enough to require plenty of energy and skill, so partying every night can prove to be a mixed blessing on the slopes the next day.

There's skiing from 1400m to 2870m (42 lifts serve 210km of slopes), and the resort shares a mountain and a lift pass with Samnaun, an isolated duty-free resort across the border in Switzerland. There's good skiing and boarding for all abilities including some easy off-piste skiing between the marked runs. Nearby resorts include See, Kappl and Galtur. Ischgl is 100km to the west of Innsbruck airport. Ischgl ski resort report > Kitzbuhel / Kitzbuheler Alps Kitzbühel is celebrated for its World Cup Hahnenkamm races, but it has much more to offer including a wonderfully picturesque medieval walled town centre. The Kitzbühel-Kirchberg region has 54 lifts serving 170 km of pistes and while the general skiing public happily wander onto the Hanhenkamm, they are unlikely to want to venture down the actual Streif run.

Like St Anton, Kitzbühel has an impressive variety of linked ski areas, much improved since the construction of the big 3-S cable car linking the Hahnenkamm-Pengelstein area with the Jochberg - Resterhöhe ski region, enabling skiers and snowboarders to return from Pass Thurn to Kitzbühel on snow rather than by ski bus. There's also the stand-alone (but easy-to-get-to) Kitzbüheler Horn, with some exhilarating motorway skiing. Kitzbühel has long had to endure criticism that the resort is lower than most other resorts in the Alps and therefore vulnerable to low snow yields. Strangely, in this respect, the resort punches above its weight and seems to attract good snow even though some slopes are as low as 800m. Kitzbühel also stresses that many slopes are pastures with few rocks, and so need less significantly less snow cover to create good ski conditions. Kitzbűhel is just 95km from Innsbruck airport.

Kitzbuhel ski resort report > Mayrhofen / Zillertal Mayrhofen, near the end of the Ziller Valley, with slopes from 630-2500m, is a big, wide open ski area which stretches out on both sides of the valley, and enjoys the bonus of having one of Europe's best summer-skiing resorts, Hintertux (with slopes reaching 3250m), within fairly easy reach. The combined (but not linked) area is called Glacier World Zillertal 3000. Mayrhofen, with a main street that's predominantly pedestrianised, is a mix of Tyrolean-style chalets, and four-star hotels. The main skiing is high above the tree-line on the Penken, which rises way above the town and is reached by a large gondola in the centre of town. There are links with the villages of Finkenberg and Lanersbach and the gentler slopes across the valley on the Ahorn.

There are some 146km of prepared pistes on the Penken, Horberg, Rastkogel, Eggalm and Ahorn served by 41 lifts, with a further 86km and 20 more lifts at Hintertux (12 miles away). Austria's "steepest groomed run", the Harakiri, is one of the attractions. Mayrhofen is 74km east and south of Innsbruck airport. Mayrhofen ski resort report > Obergurgl / Otztal Obergurgl in the Otztal has some of the highest skiing in Austria. Obergurgl, at 1930m, is west and south of Innsbruck and is reached by going as far as you can up the Ötz valley, a 20-minute drive past Sölden. Obergurgl's sister resort Hochgurgl, even higher, at 2150m is largely made up of luxury ski-in ski-out hotels. Obergurgl and Hochgurgl are linked by the 3.6km Top Express gondola - a journey of some nine minutes.

Obergurgl's slopes - 110k served by 22 lifts - can be sub-divided into the main runs on the Festkogl, reached by gondola or quad chair, and the smaller Gaisberg area, topped by the infamous Hohe Mut. Not long ago, the region invested 25 million euros on three new 8-person gondolas. A new run down from the Hohe Mut gives skiers and boarders an easier alternative than the old ungroomed and often mogulled ski route. Obergurgl is to the west and south of Innsbruck and 97km from Innsbruck airport. Obergurgl ski resort report > St Anton am Arlberg St Anton is arguably Austria's premier ski resort and the Arlberg (including St Anton, St Christoph, Stuben, Sonnenkopf, Lech and Zűrs) is among the greatest ski areas in the world with 260km of pistes skiing (from 1308-2811m) served by 85 lifts.

With a really diverse cocktail of different ski areas all covered by the same Arlberg ski pass, St Anton is the liveliest ski resort in the Arlberg. There really is something for everyone, but without question, St Anton - with formidable mogul fields and masses of excellent off-piste - is best suited to strong intermediates and advanced skiers and boarders. This goes for the nightlife too. Ski hard, play hard is the resort's leitmotif. Raw beginners in both disciplines might be advised to make their debuts elsewhere. Nearby Lech and Zürs, across the Tirolean border in the Vorarlberg, also form part of the Arlberg and are covered by the same Arlberg lift pass. St Anton is 96km west from Innsbruck airport. St Anton ski resort report > Seefeld Seefeld, north-west of Innsbruck, is one of the most picturesque of Austria's mountain towns. There are 32 lifts including 23 T-bars serving just 27km of slopes on two mountains.

Apart from this small network of excellent beginner and intermediate slopes (there are more challenging runs too), Seefeld is famous for cross country skiing, and was the location for the cross-country skiing events in both the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, as well as hosting the 1985 Nordic World Ski Championships. It's often described as the cross-country ski capital of Austria, with some 240km of cross-country ski tracks. Seefeld has virtually no through traffic and is just 22km from the Innsbruck airport. Seefeld ski resort report > Solden / Otztal Sölden, where the European World Cup circuit kicks off every year, has excellent glacier skiing, a big vertical drop (1870m) and wonderful views across the Ötztal Alps. With 85 bars, pubs, restaurants and discos, the après ski starts early and gets "pretty damn wild". There's 141km of pistes skiing for all levels served by 34 lifts, but skiers in search of long, fast runs will enjoy it most.

An 8-person gondola on the Rettenbach glacier takes you to 3247m on the Schwarze Schneide ("Black Blade") enabling skiers and boarders to try the "The Big 3 Rally" - more than 10,000 vertical metres in around four hours of hard skiing. You can ski from one glacier to another through a tunnel 170 metres long - then take the route through Rettenbachtal to the base of the Gaislachkogl gondola, up again, and down to the bottom to conclude the tour - about 50km. Sőlden is situated to the west and south of Innsbruck and 83km from Innsbruck airport. Solden ski resort report > Soll / SkiWelt Wider Kaiser-Brixental SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental in the Tirol, Austria is 279km of slopes (from 620-1890m) including the biggest night skiing area in Austria, 91 ski lifts, over 70 mountain restaurants and bars and more than 1,40 snow-making machines covering 85% of slopes.

Skiing from resort to resort is one of life's great pleasures in the mountains, and there's plenty of scope for it in the SkiWelt. The Brixental valley links four celebrated Wilder Kaiser resorts of Sőll , Scheffau, Ellmau and Going with Itter, Hopfgarten, Kelschau, Westendorf and Brixen im Thale. From Hohe Salve (1829 m), you can look out across more than 70 peaks of 3,000 metres or more. A single lift pass covers the entire Ski Welt Wilder Kaiser region or you can buy a 'Kitzbüheler Alpen AllStarCard' lift pass which enables guests to ski the pistes in SkiWelt, the lift connected Kitzbühel-Kirchberg region and more with just one lift ticket. Sőll is 78km east of Innsbruck airport.

SkiWelt ski resort report > Neustift / Stubaital Neustift in the Stubai valley is an unusually pretty village jwith its own small ski area - but its big selling point is providing access to the extensive Stubai Glacier in the Stubai Valley, between Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass to Italy. The glacier, with slopes between 2300 and 3200m, has some 24 lifts serving 110km of runs. It's ideal territory for intermediates and above, popular with snowboarders, and handy for national ski teams in need of slopes for race training in summer and autumn. Neustift in Stubaital is 28km south and west from Innsbruck airport. The glacier ski area at the far end of the valley is 20km south west from Neustift. Stubaital ski resort report > Wildschonau / Ski Juwel Wildschönau is a mellow cul-de-sac valley with three ski areas - 65km of skiing served by 25 lifts - spread along six kilometres sharing a common lift pass, and a free ski bus goes to and fro between them.

Niederau is the Wildschőnau's biggest and best-known ski resort village, with après-ski bars, hotels, restaurants, discos and late-night clubs. An 8-person gondola takes skiers to the local ski area (21km) where there is a choice of red cruising runs all the way back down, or a chance to cut across to Lanerköpfl, where a black run snakes steeply down. Beginners have a choice of nursery lifts in the village or the top of the gondola. Auffach is a small village, but has Wildschonau's biggest and highest ski area (41km), now connected to the Wiedersberger Horn ski area (45km) above Alpbach and part of the new Alpbachtal - Wildschonau "Ski Juwel" region (130km) Between Niederau and Auffach is Oberau, a picturesque little village with a 6km ski area aimed mainly at beginners. Wildschőnau is 72km east from Innsbruck airport.

Getting to the Tirol Innsbruck airport is the main gateway to the Tirol and its central location provides short, convenient transfers to ski resorts throughout the region. If flying from the UK, Easy Jet operate daily flights from London Gatwick to Innsbruck and twice weekly from Bristol and Liverpool. British Airways fly five times a week from Gatwick to Innsbruck and new for winter 2012-13, Monarch will fly to Innsbruck three times a week from Manchester. Transfers from Innsbruck airport to resorts like St. Anton, Ischgl, Obergurgl, Mayrhofen, Alpbach, Wildschönau, Kitzbühel take approximately one hour. While resorts like Seefeld, Kühtai or Neustift can be reached within 30 minutes. Munich airport (Germany) is served by British Airways from London, Manchester and Edinburgh, Lufthansa from London, Birmingham and Manchester, EasyJet fly from Stansted and Edinburgh and Aer Lingus from Cork and Dublin. New for winter 2012-13 Monarch will fly to Munich from Leeds-Bradford, Luton and Birmingham.

Transfer time from Munich to Tirol is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, Salzburg airport is served by EasyJet from Bristol, Liverpool, Luton, London Gatwick, Jet2 fly from Edinburgh and Manchester, Flybe from Exeter and Southampton, British Airways from Gatwick and Ryanair from Stansted. Salzburg is convenient for resorts such as Kitzbühel, Söll, Kirchberg, Westendorf, St. Johann and Ellmau in the eastern part of Tirol; transfer time approximately 1 hour. Airport Transfers to Tirol Ski Resorts Four Seasons Airport Transfers Four Seasons Travel in Innsbruck provides a reliable airport transfer shuttle service to ski resorts in the Tirol from Innsbruck, Munich, Salzburg, Memmingen, Bolzano and Zurich airports. The range of transfer services includes shared airport shuttle, private transfers in minivans seating up to 8 persons and 19-50 seat coaches for groups and a first class limousine service. Four Seasons customer support includes 24-hour telephone response 365 days per year as well as easy and secure booking online.

Kitzbuhel, Austria ski & snowboard holidays Kitzbuhel, Austria, ski resort centre KITZBUHEL SKIING - HAHNENKAMM & INTERMEDIATE PISTES The absolute pinnacle of the winter sports calendar, the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm Streif race takes place each January and is one of the reasons that Kitzbuhel is such a global name. The race runs from the top of the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm ski lift and ends up back in the resort. Skiers and boarders can run the race course throughout the winter whilst just after the race the course remains icy and challenging but a real draw for guests. Despite the fearsome reputation, the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm Streif is by far the most challenging on-piste route within the Kitzbuhel ski area. The rest of the Kitzbuhel ski area is characterised by intermediate skiing on a large scale. The skiing takes place on both sides of Kitzbuhel although the Kitzbuheler Horn area is pretty compact and more favoured by freestylers due to its parks.

In the Kitzbuhel ski area, the skier or snowboarder can venture either toward Pass Thurn or into Westendorf and the Ski Welt ski region, both directions offer huge amounts of skiing for the visitor to Kitzbuhel. KITZBUHEL LATEST NEWS

Question: The Hahnenkamm ski-run is part of which ski resort?
Answer: Kitzbuhel